Iron County register., 1887-10-20
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

TIE S6tHo~nAtt~ TkAnlu
John G.. Carlisle Tells What Democracy
Has Done for the Country and Why Il
Should BE Continued In Power-An Able
Document Based Upon HistorY and Facts
Within tho Recollection Of Every Intel
Hgent Reader.
Hon. John 6. Carlisle. Speaker of
the House of Representatives for two
terms, contributes an able article on
the Continuance of Democratic Rule
to recent issue of the Forum, from
which we quote as follows:
In undertaking to state some of the reasons
why the Democratic party should be continued
in power, it is necessary. in the first instance,
to call attention to the difference Of opinion be-
tween the two existing parties concerning the
nature and extent OF the Federal power under
the constitution, because 1t is manifest that
their administration Of public affairs must be
greatly Influenced by their respective views
upon this fundamental question. This differ
ence OF opinion has existed continuously since
the organization of the Government, and has
always constituted, as it still does, the most
clearly defined line of separation between po-
Htical parties in this country. It would have
been reasonable to suppose that after nearly a
hundred years Of practical administration Of
the Government under the constitution, after
repeated decisions of the question by the high
est judicial tribunals. and after TIE thorough
and able discussions that have taken place at
every stage Of the controversy, the relations
between the several States and their people
and the Government OF the United States
would be well understood, and their separate
rights and powers fully recognized by all par
ties. Such, however. is not the case In
theory and practice the Republican
party of to-day is more extravagant in its as
rtion of what it calls National author
ity than its Federalist progenitor was a
q nnriad hafwaan
the close Of the war and the year 1875, while it
controlled the legislation in Congress, it passed
greater number of unconstitutional enact
ments than can be found in all the remainder
Congress alone that this dangerous tendency
toward the concentration and arbitrary exer-
else of power was exhibited. The Executive
Department, in all its branches, was equally
Indifferent to the limitations imposed upon it
by the constitution and laws, and the Presi-
dent was rapidly becoming wiat Patrick Hen
~ predicted he would be. "an American King.
So arrogant and intoIeraut was this spirit of en-
croachment upon the reserved rights OF the
States and people, that the conservative ele-
ments in the country spontaneously combined
to resist IT, and the consequence was that since
the fourth day OF March, 1875, but one Republic
an House of Representatives has met
at Washington. and in 1875 a large
majority OF the popular vote was cast
for the Democratic candidates for President
and Vice-President It is. perhaps, not going
too far to say that if the Republican party had
not been deprived of power in the popular
branch of the Legislative department, and if
the warning OF 1876 had not been given by the
people, our federative system of government
would have been by this time substantially
overthrown, and the right of local self-govern-
ment, which lies at the very foundation of our
free Institutions, would have been confined to
the narrowest possible limits.
It is an indisputable historical fact that the
constitution of the United States was adopted
and the Union formed under it by the people of
the several States, each political community
acting separately and independently OF all
others, through its own State organization It
is equally undeniable that the Government
thus created by the people of the several
States was one of defined and limited powers,
and that all powers not delegated to it, nor pro-
hibited to the States. were, in the language OF
the constitution itself, reserved to the States,
respectively, or to the people," This brief
statement comprehendS the whole Democratic
theory Of constitutional government in this
country, and it must be evident
to every one who seriously reflects upon
the subject that it is the only theory upon
which the orderly and harmonious exer-
else of State and Federal authority over the
same territory and people can be permanently
maintained. Conflicts of authority necessarily
produce dissension and strife, and it is there
fore essential to the repose OF the country that
the division Of power between the State and
Federal governments shall be scrupulously
observed by the party in control of the Admin
istration. The importance OF such q policy
was never greater or more apparent than now.
After long period OF uncertainty andF unrest
the whole country has finally adjusted itself
to the new conditions imposed by the war. and
all that appears to be needed to insure an era
Of great industrial and commercial prosperity
is . continued assurance that political and Sec
tional controversies will not be permitted to
fha 0f
present Democratic Administration, instead
of depressing business and arresting the devel-
opment of our sources, as was predicted, has
inspired a feeling of confidence and secur-
ity that did not exist before for more than q
quarter OF q century, and in every part of
the Union but more especially in the
South, capital has been invested, commercial
relations have been established, and large en-
terprises have been projected upon the faith
that no further harsh or extraordinary politi-
cal measures would be adopted or attempted.
Unless all the present indications are de-
ceptive, the return of the Republican party to
power would be Immediately followed by the
Introduction of propositions still further to ex-
.end the supervision Of the Federal authori-
ties ov er the local and domestic affairs of the
people, and by unnecessary and hurtful re-
agitation of race and sectional questions which
have already been settled upon the precise
terms dictated by itself. Having demonstrated
its incapacity to deal with the subject by at
tempting the political and social reconstruc-
ton of the Southern States upon the irrational
theory that the people who had been slaves all
their lives. and who were totally ignorant OF
the character Of our institutions were the best
guardians of our liberties, it now complains
that the newly enfranchised race does not ex-
ercise the power conferred upon it; and upon
this provocation the country is threat
ened with renewal of the strife which
all patriotic citizens had hoped was
ended forever. Very little, If any, direct
evidence is produced to prove that the colored
vote in the South is improperly suppressed or
controlled. but the returns Of State and Con-
gressional elections are exhibited, showing
that only small portion OF the total vote in
the State or district was actually cast, and
then it is assumed, without other testimony,
that violence or intimidation has prevented
the negro from exercising the right
the asitators, the figures they produce
show exclusively that thousands OF
white Democrats failed to vote at the same
elections, and their absence from the polls
must also be accounted for. The truth Is, that
the failure of both races to vote is attributed
to the same causes, and unless the Republican
party is prepared to adopt compulsory suffrage.
It will find its efforts to remove the present
ground of complaint as fruitless as its orig
inal attempt to secure permanent ascendency
in the South by enfranchising the negro.
That there are individual and isolated cases
OF unlawful interference, by both races, with the
right of suffrage in the South, is doubtless true,
but the statement is true OF other pats OF the
country as well; and, in fact, in half the accus-
ations made by the public press are well found
ed the voter is much less free from coercive and
corrupting influences in the great centers OF
population and business in the North than he
is anywhere south OF the Potomac and Ohio.
The Democratic party is as competent and as
willing to punish these crimes against the
purity and independence OF the ballot as the
Republican party is, Notwithstanding the lat
ter's boast of superiority in morality and patri-
1&;~r, THE rfcAt of the negro t, vote In se-